Consignee on holiday. Tracking status explained.

Book shipping services

Consignee on holiday or Consignee on vacation, what does it mean and what to do next? Chances you will see this tracking event are small as it is not common. However, if you did happen to stumble upon it, allow us to help you out! We have put together all the information you need: from what it means, to what you can do and how it can happen.

What does “Consignee on holiday” mean?

Before we move along with what it means, let us explain the definition of consignee. The consignee is the person or business who will receive the package. This is not to be mistaken with the person who sends the parcel, the shipper or sender.

The meaning of “consignee on holiday” is actually as straightforward as it is written. It means the courier came to the address to deliver the package and had reason to believe the receiver is not only absent, but will also be away for a longer period of time. So the difference between “consignee absent” and “consignee on vacation” is as follows. If the consignee is on holiday, the courier will not perform a second delivery attempt. As the courier driver is unsure when the receiver will come back from holidays, the shipment will be send to the depot instead.

How does the company know that the consignee is on vacation?

There are a number of ways the courier could know that the consignee is away. For example, a company or shop can leave a note on the door on which is written that the office closed from and until a certain date. Another scenario is when someone tells the courier that the consignee is on vacation at the delivery address. Another possibility is when the shipper or consignee informs the us or the courier about the holiday. Either way, there is some indicator which makes the courier company believe that the consignee will be absent for a longer time.

What can I do now?

The logistics service provider will leave you a note with the contact information of the courier or even the location of your shipment. Keep in mind the driver will usually not try to delivery again the next day. The shipment will be send to a parcel shop, depot or warehouse where it will stay for five business days. This is different for a freight shipment. The logistics service provider will generally keep freight for a longer period of time. However, to keep the shipment there, storage charges will apply.

In case the consignee is on vacation, couriers usually try to keep the parcel longer at the depot. But as you can imagine, in busy Summer months when many people are on holidays, the space at the depots is limited.

When you book a parcel delivery service through Eurosender you will receive the tracking number as well as the name of the courier company that will take care of your shipment. With this information you can follow the journey of your parcel. To see the tracking information, simply search for the “name of the courier company” and “tracking”. The first link in the results is generally the website where you can enter the tracking number. Once you entered the tracking number simply search and accurate information on the status of your parcel will be visible.

If you are experiencing any trouble with finding the tracking information or if you have any concerns about the information shown, do not hesitate to shoot us a message.

Tracking says “Consignee on holiday” but I am not?

But what to do if the tracking information is not correct and you have been waiting at home all day? As with anything, unfortunately misunderstandings can happen. There might be circumstances that confuse the courier, making him to believe the consignee is on holidays. If you experience such a case, the best thing to do is to call or email us as soon as possible. That way we can contact the logistics service provider and ask them to adjust their information. We will then also arrange a new delivery attempt for you.

In case you booked the delivery service directly through a courier, we advise you to contact them directly. It is important to keep an eye on the tracking information regularly so you can notify the courier as soon as possible. In the worst case, the logistics company will return the shipment to the shipper. This would happen normally after the package has been at the depot for more than five business days.

Are you experiencing a failed delivery attempt other than “consignee on vacation”? We have listed all the other reasons for failed delivery in this post.